Air-admission device for locomotive fire-boxes.



' PATENTED FEB. 27, 1906.

G. B. CLARK.

' AIR ADMISSION DEVICE FOR LOGOMOTIVE FIRE BOXES.

APPLICATION FILED MAYZZ, 1905.

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ATTOR/VE Y8 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES B. CLARK, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

specification f Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 27, 19306 Application filed May 22', 1905. $erial No.- 261,724.

. after more particularly described, and pointed out in the claims.

The invention has reference more especially to air-admission devices for fire-boxes of locomotive-boilers, though equally applicable to furnaces and other fuel-consuming structures; and one of the principal objects thereof is to provide hand-controlled means whereby any desired quantities of atmospheric air may be conveniently introduced within the fire-box or other structure to effect a more complete burning or utilization of the gases arising from the fuel therein, thereby reducing to the minimum both the amount and density of smoke and other products of combustion passing to the smokestack or exit-flue.

A further object is to overcome numerous disadvantages and objections encountered in the use of many other contrivances hitherto devised for a similar purpose.

A still further object is to provide an airadmissiondevice for fire-boxes of locomotiveboilers and the like, which is exceedingly simple in construction, easily controlled, and comparatively inexpensive to install, besides being thoroughly effective and reliable for its purpose and possessing the capacity for long and repeated service.

The above and additional objects are attained by means substantially such as are illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a front view of a fire-box or other fuelconsuming, structure, provided with a door or closure having my improve ments embodied in connection therewith. Fig. 2 is an inner perspective view of the door or closure for the fire-box, the air ad'mission device, per se, of my improvements being omitted; and Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig.- 1. Before proceeding with a more detailed de= scription it may be stated that in the form-of my improvements herein shown I provide a specially=constructed door or closure for the usual fuel-opening in the front of a locomotive fire-box or other fuel-consumin structure, combined with which is a specia lyjcon= structed device for controlling the admission of atmospheric air to the interior of the fire-box, special means being also employed for secur' ing the device in any of the positions to which it may be adjusted relatively to the door or closure, and while I have herein rep resented my improvements in a certain re ferred embodiment it will be understoo of course, that I do not limit myself thereto in precise detail, since immaterial changes therein may be resorted to'coming' within the scope of my invention.

Reference being had to the drawings by the designating characters thereon, 1 represents the front of a locomotive fire-box, pro vided with the usual opening 2, through which coal or other fuel may be introduced within the fire-box, said opening being closed means of a door or closure 3, having at corre= sponding corners thereof suitable members 4,- uniting with similar members 5 on the said front 1 in the formation of a hinge for the door, which is completed by means of a rod or pin 6, extending through coinciding openings in each pair of said members referred to. The vertical edge of the door opposite that from which the hinge members 4 project is provided with a suitable catch 7, which may be engaged in any suitable manner for retain ing the door or closure in closed position. The door or closure is provided with an open= ing 8, the sides of which are preferably rectangularly disposed, as shown, (see Fig. 2,) said opening resulting by severing a central portion-of the door or closure on a horizontal line and bending rearwardly and inwardly the two portions 9 and 10 thus formed, which between them practically constitute a flue 11 through which atmospheric air may'enter the fire-box from without, as will be apparent.

Hinged or otherwise movably supported at 12 on the face of the door or closure 3 is the upper longitudinal portion of an outwardlycurved hood or member 13, having end sections 14, the inner edge 15 of each of which is straight and adapted to lie flatly against, the

are the flanges 17 of parallel forwardly-projecting members 18, preferably substantially triangular in form, said members bearing such relation to the end sections 14 of the hood or member 13 as to constitute guides therefor, preventing endwise accidental dislocation of thehood ormember from any cause either 3* when closed or when in an outward position of adjustment with reference to the air-ad- ;missio'n opening 8 and flue 11. The said for- Wardly-projecting members 18 are provided at the inner lower edges thereof with corresponding spaced holes or openings 19 through opposite ones of which is inserted or passed a rod 20 for sustaining the hood or member 13 in any desired outward position of adj ust- "r'nent thereof, as indicated in Fig. 3, and it is apparent that the greater the extent to which the lower longitudinal edge of the said hood or member 13 is carried away from the face of the door or closure 3 the greater will be the amount of air admitted to the fire-box. Due to the proximity of the said hood or member 13 to the burning fuel within the fire-box it is apparent that the same is caused to become very hot, and consequently the air passing beneath the same and into the fire-box will become highly heated previous to its entrance into the latter, thus rendering the air in better condition to unite with the gases arising from the fuel within the fire-box 1n such man' ner as to effect a more complete burning or utilization of such gases and reducing in great measure the amount of smoke and other products of combustion passing from the fire-box to the smoke-stack.

The hood or member 13 could in some instances be constructed of a simple flat plate; but I prefer the curved form herein illustrated, together with the end sections 14 thereof, since due thereto quantities of heated air will continually be collected therein and operate in a measure as an aeriform shield, preventing the material of the hood or member from rapid deterioration from the heat from the fire-box.

For convenient manipulation of the hood or member 13 the same is preferably provided at the lower edge thereof with a handgrasp 21, and in order that the incoming air may be directed either downwardly or upwardly and within theifire-box I may bend the inturned portions 9 and 10 of the door 3 either upwardly or downwardly accordingly, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3, for instance.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. An air-admission device for locomotive carried,

fire-boxes comprising a closure for the fuelopening therein, itself provided with an opening, an outwardly-swinging hood mounted on the face of the closure, and means for supportin the same in the different positions to whic the lower edge thereof may be carried, embodying members having corresponding openings therein, and a device for insertion in opposite ones of said openings.

2. An air-admission device for locomotive fire-boxes comprising a closure for the fuelopening therein, itself provided with an opening, an outwardly-swinging hood mounted on the face of the closure, means for supporting the same in the difierent positions to which the lower edge thereof may be embodying forwardly projecting members from the face of the closure having spaced openings therein, and a supportingrod for the closure for insertion in corresponding ones of the openings.

3. An air-admission device for locomotive fire-boxes comprising a closure for the fuelopening therein, itself provided with an opening, an outwardl -swin ing hood mounted on the face of the c osure, and means for supporting the same in the different positions to which the lower edge thereof may be carried, said hood being of outwardly-curved form and having end sections, and said means embodying forwardly-projecting members from the face of the closure constituting guides for the hood.

4. An air-admission device for locomotive fire-boxes comprising a closure for the fuelopening therein, itself provided with an opening, an outwardly-swin ing hood mounted on the face of the c osure, and means for supporting the same in the different positions to which the lower edge thereof may be carried, the opening in the ,said closure being formed by bending portions of the closure inwardly, and said portions between them constituting a flue for imparting direction to the air passing into the fire-box.

5. An air-admission device for locomotive fire-boxes comprising a closure for the fuelopening therein, itself provided with an opening, an outwardly-swinging hood mounted on the face of the closure, and means for supporting the same in the different positions to which the lower edge thereof may be carried, embodying forwardly-extending members having flanges lying against the face of the closure at opposite edges of the opening therein, and rivets securing said flanges to said closure.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES B. CLARK.

Witnesses:

E. EVERETT ELLIs, JNo. M. BITTER. 

